Dipper for snuff or the like



June 9, 1931. J, c, FLYNN 1,808,949

DIPPER FOR SNUFF OR THE LIKE Filed Dec 29, 1928 INVENTOR.

' A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN C. FLYNN, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W. COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DIIPPER non. SNUFIE on THE LIKE Application filed December 29, 1928. Serial No. 329,209.

This invention is an improvement in dippers for snuff or the like, and more partlcularly in a dipper for use with the snuff container cover.

It is desirable in the retailing of snufi that some form of dipper be furnished in connection with the retail container, either to be given with the container, or to be sold separately.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision of a construction of dipper or spoon, which may be dispensed in the form of a blank, either as a gift with the snuff, or as a separate sale, and which is capable of manipulation into form to be connected frictionally with the cover.

Another object is the provision of a dipper, which after the sale of the snuff may form in efiect a permanent part of the contalner and be carried thereby, in a position such that it will not be in the way and will not add appreciably to the bulk of the container.

Another object is the provision of a dipper of a form such that it may be connected with the cover in such manner that the cover may be used as a handle in the manipulation of the dipper.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a container having in connection with the cover thereof an embodiment of the improved dipper.

'Fig. 2 is a perspective view looking from the underside of the cover with the dipper frictionally connected therewith.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank from which the dipper is formed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation with parts in section showing an alternate construction.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dipper shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a blank from which the construction of Fig. 5 may be formed.

The embodiment of the invention of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is shown in connection with a snuif container comprising a can body 1, and a flanged cover 2, fitting over the open end of the can or body. The can body which may be of any usual construction is provided with a circumferentially extending head 3 near the-open end, to provide a limiting means for the flange 4 of the cover.

The dipper is formed from the blank shown in Fig. 3, and it may be dispensed in the Fig. 3 form, or may be shaped prior to dispensing. The blank includes a spoon or dipper portion 5 and a handle member 6. The spoon portion may be shaped by giving it a trough formation as shown, or it may be flat, the trough formation being preferable.

The handle member6 is in the form of a disk, of approximately the area of the inner circumference of the flange, so that when the blank is manipulated in a manner to be' presently described, the disk will fit inside the flange of the cover as shown in Fig. 2, and will be frictionally held in place.

As previously stated, the improved dipper may be dispensed in connection with a container or it may be dispensed separately,and when so dispensed, it is preferably left .in the Fig. 3 arrangement, for convenience in storage and in handling. A dipper may be presented with each can of snuff, or it may be sold separately. In either case the recipient will bend the spoon portion and the handle member at substantially a right angle with respect to each other, and this may be done by the fingers, without the-use of tools.

It will be noticed referring to Fig. 3, that the cuts which form the opposite edges .of the spoon portion are extended into the handle member 6, the extensions being indicated at 7, so that when the parts are bent upona line connecting the inner ends of theslits 7, the spoon portion will-be oifset'inwardly slightly, with respect to the'periphery of the disk. The offset is about the thickness of the wall of the body, so that the said wall may pass between the spoon portion and the flange, when the disk is inserted in the cover inside the flange.

After the parts have been manipulated as described, into a position at substantially right angles to each other, the disk is pushed into the cover inside the flange, until it rests against the body of the cover, and it will be frictionally held in this position, the relative dimensions of the disk and the cover flange being such as to provide sufficient friction, while at the same time to enable the easy insertion of the disk.

W hen not in use, the parts may be arranged as shown in Fig. 1, with the spoon portion 5 extending along the wall of the can body on the inner surface thereof. Thus the external appearance of the container is not changed when the dipper is in place. It will be ap parent that the improved dipper might be connected with the cover when the cans are filled, and it would not in any way alter the appearance of the container.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4c and 5, the construction is the same in principle, the disk 6, however, being replaced by a ring 8, to which the spoon portion 9 is connected, as for instance, by soldering indicated at 10, the connection being external to the ring. The ring has an internal flange 11 at the edge remote from that toward which the spoon portion extends, and in use the ring is adapted to be engaged about the flange 12 of the cover 13. The spoon portion is curved transversely to fit the curve of thecan body 14:.

With this arrangement, the can may be filled, labeled, and sealed in'the usual manner, after which the ring is slipped about the flange as shown, with the spoon extending along side the can body wall, and the con tainers may be dispensed with the dipper in place. If desired, the dipper may be separately dispensed, in which case the buyer may apply them to the can in the same man ner.

It will be apparent that the ring 8 might be a split ring, and the dipper might be dispensed in the form of a blank, that is, in substantial T-shape, the ring being formed by the buyer into shape to fit the cover flange. It is preferable, however, to dispense the clippers in the form of Fig. 5.

This construction is shown in Fig. 6, wherein the spoon portion of the blank is indicated at 17, and the handle portion at 18. It will be apparent that the portion 18 may be bent into a ring to embrace the cover flange, or to fit within the flange, in which case the spoon portion would extend into the can. In the former case it would lie outside the can as in Fig. 5.

It will benoticed in each construction that the body of the cover is provided with an annular head 15 spaced apart from the flange. This provides a species of annular ledge or shoulder 16- outsicle the bead, and when the ring 8 is in place on the cover the flange 11 lies upon this ledge or shoulder, thus limiting the downward movement of the ring.

WVhat is claimed as new is 1. A dipper for snuff or the like, comprising a blank shaped to form a spoon and an element adapted to be bent at a right angle to the spoon to provide a handle part shaped to frietionally lit the cover of a receptacle, to hold the dipper detachable to the receptacle, with the spoon offset inwardly from the flange of the cover to lie along the inner surface of the side wallof the receptacle when the cover is in place.

2. In combination with a can for snuff or the like and its flanged cover, a dipper structure of sheet material adapted for detachable connection to the cover and comprising a memberhaving frictional peripheral engagement with the cover and a spoon connected to said member at one side and so positioned that when connected tothe cover in place on the, can body, the spoon extends downward close to the body wall.

3. In combination with a can for snuff or the like and its flanged cover, a dipper structure of sheet material adapted for detachable connection to the cover and comprising a member having frictional peripheral engagement with the cover and a spoon connected to said member at one side and so positioned that When connected to the cover in place on the can body, the spoon extends downward inside and close to the body wall.

4. In combination with a can for snufl or the like and its flanged cover, a dipper structure of sheet material adapted for detachable connection to the cover and comprising a member having frictional peripheral engagement with the cover and a spoon connected to said member at one side and so positioned that when connected to the cover in place on the can body, the spoon extends downward outside and close to the body wall.

5. In combination with a can for snuff or the like and its flanged cover, a dipper structure of sheet material adapted for detachable connection to the cover and comprising a member having frictional peripheral engagement with the cover and a spoon connected to said member at one side and so positioned that when connected to the cover in place on the can body, the spoon extends downward inside and close to the body Wall, the spoon portion being inset from the periphery of said member and the cover flange, providing a space for the can body wall.

6. In combination with a can for snuff or the life and its flanged cover, a dipper structure of sheet material adapted for detachable connection to the cover and comprising ashallow sleeve portion adapted to frictionally engage about the cover flange and having an upper stop flange limiting downward movement on the cover, and a spoon connected to said sleeve portion and so positioned that when the cover is on the can the spoon extends downward outside and substantially against the can body wall, the spoon being transversely curved to conform to the body Wall curvature.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 26th day of December, A. D. 1928.

JOHN C. FLYN N. 

